On DVD (2005). Rated R, 104 minutes.
To call Layer Cake a thinking man's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels begins to describe it, but doesn't do it justice. This film is a modern day movie about high-level drug trafficking in London. It stars Daniel Craig as the affluent and educated 'middle-man' for a narcotics operation, with additional great performances from Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon, Tamer Hassan and Colm Meaney.
The film tracks Craig's character through a classic Greek arc. He is initially shown to have everything figured out, including his retirement, but as he tries to finish his last score all of his personal and business infrastructure falls apart and leaves him scrambling to survive. He emerges on top after a skillful combination of business savvy and ruthlessness allows him to survive and prove his mettle.
First time Director Matthew Vaughn (previous producer of Snatch (B+) and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (B+)) shows impressive skill with multiple unconventional but not showy camera moves and angles. There are several scenes to rave about, notably the scene where Freddie gets put into a coma in the diner, with
Duran Duran's 'Ordinary World' in the background and then jumping to the foreground during the beating to mask any sound. The scene where Craig calls the ridiculously attractive Sienna Miller and she comes to his room, set to the Rolling Stones' 'Gimme Shelter' is also especially great. The soundtrack is pitch perfect throughout, and the transitions between scenes are perfect. Whereas Guy Ritchie's films are gimmicky to a fault and his camera tricks have no relevance to the film or plot, Vaughn's use of unconventional direction is not distracting and fits perfectly into the film.
This film is just under The Departed as the best crime drama in the past several years. I can't believe I waited until now to see it.
Viewing note: As with any British film, I highly recommend using subtitles to catch all of the dialogue. The violence in the film is all shot in a way that isn't disturbing or even shown; even those with a low tolerance for gore (me) won't be bothered by this one.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Layer Cake - A
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
i loved this one as well. it's worth watching all three endings on the DVD, if for no other reason than to come to the conclusion that they picked the right one. jude law needs to have his head examined.
Thanks alot, lawyer. I don't have time to rewatch these films. I did like it enough to have a copy lying around. Please, next time give it the A- it deserves.
Morty was played by the same guy who was Katanga (the captain of the ship who smelled Karen Allen's hair) in Raiders of the Lost Ark. And Daniel Craig would co-star in another Spielberg masterpiece later in 2005.
I wanted to give it an A-, but I watched it 2 nigths in a row and there is just too much that I like. JJ Connolly (the author of the book and screenplay for Layer Cake) is working on a sequel, and Craig has said he would do it if Vaughn directed.
Vaughn's next movie, Stardust, is a fantasy epic (?) starring Sienna Miller, Robert Deniro (as a pirate), Ricky Gervais, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Claire Danes. Looks weird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdW7rbcfGzs
Spielberg has masterpieces, but I can assure Munich ain't one of them. Just because it should be a good movie doesn't mean it is.
I am actually glad you gave it an A because I wouldn't have watched it again otherwise. I did move it from B+ to A- and will have to amend my 2005 Top Ten. I was surprised how well it held up. My favorite scene is the one where Craig screams "He was a police informant!"
I was semi-joking about Munich which is great but no masterpiece. Some of the musical choices are weak and the infamous sex scene almost derailed the whole thing. Love the Twin Towers, though.
As for a Layer Cake sequel, maybe they should have chosen one of those alternate endings.
Post a Comment